As content continues to shift online, hosts, providers and advertisers are all quickly jumping on ways to make
the most money off it in the shortest amount of time possible. If it sounds like a wise business move, modern
media expert Gary Nerlinger says that’s because it is. According to a July 2017, Advertising Age article,
Facebook is in talks with advertisers to get the ball rolling on 6-second- long ads before video content is played.
The article states that Facebook saw a 47 percent bump in revenue, at $9.2 billion, compared to this quarter last
year and that it’s due in large part to video and mobile advertising.

Video is an important part of our mobile strategy,&quot;Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said
during a recent conference call with analysts on Wall Street. The Advertising Age article goes on to state that a
6-second ad is the “ideal” length and that Tropicana conducted tests with 15- and 30-second- long ads, as well.
However, the concern that must also be factored for here is the fact that video keeps eyeballs on a single piece
of content for a longer period of time and, given Facebook’s scrolling nature, that means fewer opportunities for
other ads to pop up and be seen. Nerlinger, a respected expert in the field of digital data, says Facebook’s
investment in video is a wise move.

“Given that YouTube’s total worth is about that of five Twitters, it’s quite clear that consumers prefer video.
With a need that’s so obvious, it’s no wonder Facebook is rolling out a plan for advertisements that are
currently one second longer than the five-second benchmark currently seen on YouTube,” said Nerlinger.

The Advertising Age article continues to say that Facebook is so serious about video that it has recently met
with “multiple media partners” to talk about producing shows for Facebook. The result would be people
watching a clip for a longer period of time, according to the report, which adds that reality programs, sports or
possibly “scripted series” are a possibility and could be announced as soon as August 2017.
To Nerlinger, this is a major move for Facebook if it wants to compete with social media platforms like
Instagram, which heavily features videos and advertisements.

“One could arguably say that Instagram is on track to be the new Facebook. Given that Facebook was the new
MySpace, these types of transitions do happen and being caught flat-footed in such a competitive marketplace is a major mistake when billions of dollars are on the line.”